Finishing trim along stairs

I have some trim along the stairs that has never terminated cleanly. I'd like try to correct this since Im replacing the adjoining wall. I'm not sure how to clean it up so I'm Looking for advice on how to finish both the chair rail and the base molding above the stringer. Should they both be extended so they turn the corner and them somehow end on the adjoining walls ? Here's a pic of what I currently have.

 

In order to turn the corner with either of those profiles you would need to have a triangle shaped transition at the corner, transitioning the angled piece coming down the stairs to a level piece as it turns the corner.

I would suggest that it might look the cleanest if the chair rail ended directly above the end of the last wainscot panel, and just return it back to the wall. That means you cut a 45 on the end of it and then glue another small 45 on that end, just like turning a corner.

By doing that you create a line of sight up the corner that makes it look like a clean vertical stile.

The triangle shaped transition will be similar to the one i mentioned in this thread, see post 3 and 9: Need help for vertical baseboard issue

If you did that on the profile that is on top of your skirt, just keep in mind that the top edge of that transition can be as short or as long as you want to make it. Typically it comes to a point on top, like a triangle... but the bottom edge is level as it turns the corner.

 

When turning the corner For the piece above the skirt Im not sure exactly what you mean. Is there a picture you can show me ? Would the corner of the skirt be covered, since that is a eyesore I'm trying to cover up somehow. Also if I turn the corner on the bottom do.you still.recommend ending the chair rail a5 the end of the last panel? Or should this turn too ?

 

The picture is in the link I posted above... same situation, just a different moulding that is upside down compared to yours. You would need to add onto the top of your left skirt to fill any void that would be created by turning the baseboard level as you round the corner. And on the right you would need a new piece of skirt to cap the end of the left skirt and cap a few inches along the top of that stair tread.

You could turn the chair rail level too if you want the line to continue around.

 

Sorry, I'm confused by what you mean by left and right skirt. In my pic when looking at the stairs from the bottom there is only the right skirt. I think I need to turn the corner and come down from the skirt to get to the same level as the base molding. That's the part I'm.strughlong with since the skirt is flush with the corner wall.

 

You know what the skirt is, right? The piece under your baseboard trim? Left and right of the corner of the wall, when looking at the picture of the right side of the stairway, which is the only side of the stairs that you have pictured.

 

Yes I think I know what skirt is. Just lost me with with left and right skirt. So if I understand you here's what you're saying ;




If im understanding that correctly then how about continuing the base trim down the wall to the floor ? Or do I just put it on each tread like this ? Think would better continuous but not sure how to do that? Would I notch the end of tread to have base molding slide behind it ?

 

Yes, that's it. Whichever way you prefer that you think looks best.